Parking assist device and method for assisting parking

Abstract

A parking assist device (1) includes a camera (3) for capturing an image of an exterior of a vehicle, and a monitor (4) for displaying the captured image, and sets a target parking position by moving a target parking frame (11) displayed on a screen of the monitor (4). A default position of the target parking frame (11) is determined based on a target parking position (P2) which is a relative position with respect to a parking preparation position (P1). The target parking position (P2) is estimated based on a running state of the vehicle until the vehicle reaches the parking preparation position (P1).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of Invention[0002]The invention relates to a parking assist device and a method for assisting parking.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]When a driver operates a vehicle, it is relatively difficult to park a vehicle such as backing the vehicle into the garage and executing parallel parking. Especially; a beginning driver is likely to have difficulty in a vehicle operation at the time of parking the vehicle. Then, a parking assist device for assisting the operation at the time of parking the vehicle is known. As the parking assist device of this type, a parking guide device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-208420. After the vehicle is temporarily stopped at the side of the target parking position, the parking guide device guides the vehicle to a target parking position by capturing a target parking area from a side of the target parking position and superimposing a target parking frame obtained by computation...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]It is an object of the invention to make it possible to assist parking by a regular operation of backing the vehicle into the garage, and to reduce a setting time of a target parking position by default-displaying a target parking frame at a position as close as possible to the target parking position to save the trouble of modifying the position of the target parking frame.

[0010]Therefore, in the first aspect of the invention, the default position of the target parking frame can be set in the vicinity of the target parking position. Therefore, the time required to set the target parking position can be reduced. Also, since a camera or the like for capturing an image of a side area of the vehicle is not required, In addition, the vehicle does not need to be temporarily moved to in front of the target parking position, which improves convenience of the driver.

[0012]Accordingly, it is preferable that the parking assist device calculates a deflection angle in the parking preparation position, and estimates the target parking position based on the calculated deflection angle. In this way, the target parking position can be more accurately estimated by performing a computation to estimate the target parking position based on the defection angle in the parking preparation position which is determined based on the running state of the vehicle until the vehicle reaches the parking preparation position. The deflection angle may be calculated based on a moving distance of the vehicle from a certain position to the parking preparation position. Also, the target parking position may be estimated by a different formula depending on the turning angle.

Problems solved by technology

When a driver operates a vehicle, it is relatively difficult to park a vehicle such as backing the vehicle into the garage and executing parallel parking.

Especially; a beginning driver is likely to have difficulty in a vehicle operation at the time of parking the vehicle.

Thus, a need for a plurality of cameras increases a cost.

In addition, using the parking assist device disclosed in the publication, the vehicle needs to be temporarily moved to in front of the target parking position, which causes an unnecessary move of the vehicle.

This deteriorates the convenience of the driver.

However, in this method, it takes a long time to set the target parking position when the default display of the target parking frame is far from the target parking position.

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